Early Life and Apprenticeship in the Renaissance Heartland Hans Leonard Schäufelein, a name perhaps less instantly recognizable than his contemporaries Dürer or Holbein, nevertheless occupies a significant position within the vibrant artistic landscape of early 16th-century Germany. Born around 1480, likely in Nuremberg—the bustling center of commerce and artistic innovation—Schäufelein’s formative years were steeped in the burgeoning spirit of the Renaissance. While concrete details regarding his earliest training remain elusive, it is widely accepted that he apprenticed under Wilhelm Wohlg…